Winterfuel payment 2010???

Magenta

xXMessedUpXx wrote: »

Ahh i was getting mixed up with cold weather payments.

Do you know when they start?

Scratch that, they have already started. Op do you get any of these:


http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/moneytaxandbenefits/benefitstaxcreditsandothersupport/inretirement/dg_10018668

The cold weather payment last year for disabled people, under pension age,
was £10

richard9991

Magenta wrote: »

The cold weather payment last year for disabled people, under pension age,
was £10

the cold weather payment last year for ppl who qualify was £25 for every 7 days of 0c or below not £10

brogusblue

My disabled mum had a letter today saying that it will be paid in the bank in the next 3 weeks and they aim to make all payments by christmas..The letter was dated the 6th nov ..

Gemstar30

I have an opinion on this. Oh yes I thought you might!!!

I have been reviewing my gas & electricity supply. I have negotiated a reduction of over £200pa by going onto the Fresh Start Social Tariff scheme with Scottish Power for those over 60. This will bring my monthly direct debit down from £98 to £82pm. I live in a 3 bed semi that is always warm and lots of hot water too.

I have had the house checked over for free and had extra loft whatsit put in for free.

Now I get to the point, I cannot for the life of me understand that in today's world with all these free offers of insulation why people should be so short of money for the winter period that they need £250 extra?
If like me people budget monthly throughout the year (as most do now), why do they need the £250?
The annual cost is spread over 12 months in equal payments.

Now I for one am not complaining as I too get this payment, but I have to be honest, it really isn't used to keep us warm for the 4 months of winter - I pay for that already.
It certainly does come in handy for other Seasonal costs, but not to provide heat, light & power!

Would I miss it if it was taken away? Of course I would, it helps out with the overall cost of Christmas.

I would bet that the vast majority of people use it for this purpose as well - that is if they are honest enough to admit it!

pwales_2

are you joking! only 250 quid!!! 250 is alot of money to alot of people,
this just goes to show why this should be means tested:mad:

tobykim

Gemstar you really are coming over as very pompous, £250 to a pensioner is a heck of a lot of money, in some cases it can be the difference between being warm and having hypothermia. Most elderly people I know still pay their bills quarterly, some do not have access to bank accounts, think carefully before you speak, and don't spend it all on your Christmas presents.

Gemstar30

pwales wrote: »

are you joking! only 250 quid!!! 250 is alot of money to alot of people,
this just goes to show why this should be means tested:mad:

But you are missing the point - it is said to be for the extra costs of heat & light NOT an extra to spend on other things.

Yes I know it is a lot of money. And I realise that it should not be given to those that don't need it. What I was saying is that it would be better if it was sent as a token to be sent to the utilities only, not cash in the pocket.

The other point I was making, is that more or less everybody is able to make ends meet every week with their gas and electric one way or another. Surely then there is no need to even pay it out to anybody as they would have budgeted for that weeks supply out of their normal income.

Gemstar30

tobykim wrote: »

Gemstar you really are coming over as very pompous, £250 to a pensioner is a heck of a lot of money, in some cases it can be the difference between being warm and having hypothermia. Most elderly people I know still pay their bills quarterly, some do not have access to bank accounts, think carefully before you speak, and don't spend it all on your Christmas presents.

I'm not and I too am an old age pensioner.

You are missing the point. If people like me, already manage to budget say £300 every quarter for their gas and electric why do we need another £250 on top?

It's like saying we (the government) will pay £250 of your winter bill. That leaves you say £50 to find instead of the £300 they would normally have to find. So what happens to that money that they have saved? Yes it is spent on other things - things that the government didn't give the £250 for.

Which ever way you look at it, most pensioners will use the money for things other than extra heating costs.

I have had this out with my father (86) who gets £400. He readilly admits that he uses it towards his annual holiday!!! Why? Because he has budgeted throughout the year and by now his electricity and gas accounts are in credit, waiting for the big winter ones that will even it all out.

Even at worse, most if not all pensioners have an amount put by for the winter bills out of normal income as they do in the summer months. You are not seriously telling me that those bills are going to be between £250 & £400 more expensive than those for the rest of the year?

pwales_2

gemstar the token way to pay is a great idea,
but sadly the rest of the post is just ...........well say no more!
but i do see the positives in 250 quid energy tokens

brogusblue

The idea of converting it energy vouchers would be a good one, But the way prepayment metres are set so high it wouldn't last long i put in around £15 elec and and £5 gas at the moment but when it gets cold that goes up to around £20 elec and £15-£20 gas per week..

I guess that proberly that most of the winter fuel payment will be used in other ways, personaly i think its up to the person on what they feel is best for themselves..

The only thing is wrong is that people living abroad get this as well and should be stopped and the money used elsewhere